The Laughing Assassin: Jay Page

 By: Michael Samuels

          Within every fighter’s chest beats the heart of a beast, a beast that needs to be fed. The feeding comes in the form of competition, blood, sweat, and tears. A fighter’s courage mounts daily as he trains and becomes stronger and more confident in his abilities.

          Being an amateur fighter, there is no fame, there is no fortune.  Fighting in front of wild crowds, in strange venues, why would you put your mind and body through such punishments?  I spent some time speaking with an amateur fighter by the name of Jay Page who has been fighting in the amateur ranks since 2004 and he loves what he does.  Along with fighting Jay has a regular job. He has his daughters to take care of and basically a whole life outside of getting into the cage.  When you speak to him, you do not hear a punchy guy. He thinks about his answers and he gives them to you in only a way that he can.  I will say this, do not let the smiling exterior fool you.  If you are across the ring from him that could be a costly mistake.

          The Laughing Assassin, aka Jay Page, is a pure fighter, no more, no less.  Jay is affiliated with the ISKA Cage Brawl. He is a Mixed Martial Artist in the purest sense of the term. He is from Kingsport, TN.   He has a huge heart and lives to be in pugilistic combat. Throwing punches and kicks at a furious pace. He can take you down, ground and pound you, or he can submit you with any of various techniques that he has in his arsenal.  Even at the age of 39 the fire still burns hot in Jay. He trains hard for his Coach Brenden Bohannon to keep his mind and body in great shape to take the punishment that he loves so much. Jay has studied Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do, and of course Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Fighting since 2004 he has amassed a record of 9 wins and 3 losses. Is he ready to hang up his gloves? I don’t think so. Jay may sound like a throw back and maybe he is. He loves being in the gym and the smell of sweat and all the things that are associated with the fight game. When Jay steps out of the ring after a fight, he is ready to kick it and have a good time, many times having a cold one with an opponent that he has just choked out.  Jay is two people: there is family guy and funny guy, and then there is the Laughing Assassin who will knock you out. Either one that you meet is a great guy.  For him fighting is not about rage or pent up aggression, it is all about the competition and the love of the sport. 

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Behind the Scenes Look at the Michigan International Speedway with the Track President

By: Jason Schultz

 

Michigan President Interview:    Behind the Scenes Look at the Michigan International Speedway with the Track President

Want a great fan experience? Head out to the Michigan International Speedway this weekend for the Pure Michigan 400. The races at Michigan are always a blast and below the President of the Michigan International Speedway told me some cool details of different things happening at the track. For the upcoming Pure Michigan 400, stakes are high for some drivers who are aiming to get in the Chase. Some drivers find themselves in a “win or go home” strategy to make the Chase. We’ve seen upsets at the Michigan International Speedway before and this year we could see some of the biggest upsets ever.

After the repaving of the track last fall, it is now the fastest in NASCAR and fast tracks bring great racing. Dale Earnhardt Jr broke his winless streak in the June race this year and he could get back to victory lane this coming weekend. With all the exciting events happening at the Michigan International Speedway, we will see a great racing weekend. 

Recently, I was able to talk to the President of the Michigan International Speedway, Roger Curtis, and he gave me some exclusive information on different things happening at the speedway. Below you can see Roger’s responses to my questions and find out what’s happening at the Michigan International Speedway. 

What are some changes the Speedway has made for the upcoming August race?

“SPEED!  With the repave completed last fall, we have become NASCAR’s fastest track with speeds close to 200 mph.  With the speeds, there has been some great racing.  The Quicken Loans 400 was fantastic and drivers have told me that the Pure Michigan 400 will be even better after the last Goodyear tire test a couple of weeks ago.  The racing in June was outstanding so I can’t wait to see this race!  They will also see the new Budweiser Party Patio in Turn 4.  It is great place to visit during the race.  It will take your breath away seeing cars fly by you at close to 200 MPH at ground level.  It is also a great place to visit ‘after hours’ for a great party.”

What has been your favorite change the track has made?

“Fixing our traffic issues from years ago.  To me, this was one of those defining moments for us and our fans.  I would also add just making our place a great fan experience.  We view ourselves a lot more like Disney than a sports facility.  Our vision is to create lasting memories for every person every time.  We are not perfect, but our fans now know that we sincerely care about them and give back in so many ways – from lower prices to investing $65 million into improving the facility, to our Fan Appreciation program that gives fans once-in-a-lifetime experiences like no other track.”

With Dale Earnhardt Jr getting back to victory lane in June at Michigan, did you see a jump in ticket sales for the August race?

“We did, not only from Jr winning, but just from the great racing and the awesome speeds that fans saw.  I told Dale Jr in Victory Lane that he didn’t have to wait for Leap Year to win at MIS again!  I think he will be the favorite coming into the Pure Michigan 400 so Jr. Nation should make their way to the Irish Hills!”

What are some of your favorite behind the scenes aspects at the Michigan International Speedway that fans can’t see on TV?

“All of the campers and the parties in our beautiful campgrounds! Most of our team camps here on race weekend, as do I.  I spend all of my evenings visiting the campgrounds and hanging out with the fans.  It is like a ‘focus group’ for me, but also allows fans to hear the track’s perspective.  Plus, I just love doing it.  I have made some very good friends over the years and I make new ones each weekend. It is amazing what a community it becomes and the friends that are made on a race weekend.  You can come here to camp knowing no one and leave with lifelong friends.  Heck, I even married a couple in Gatorade Victory Lane in June!”

After the tragic lightning strike at Pocono, what would MIS do if a storm was approaching and the race was over?

“That was very tragic and out thoughts and prayers continue to go out to all those affected in Pocono.  The safety of our guests is absolutely our No. 1 priority and focus.  We have several things in place for any type of emergency, including having the National Weather Service on site with their equipment.  If the NWS informed us of incoming dangerous weather, we would immediately communicate with our fans.”

How would the Speedway alert the fans of the incoming weather?

“We have several ways to do so from PA, scoreboard, Sprint Visions, Twitter, Facebook, our texting service, MRN, our mobile app, our ushers, and emergency vehicles going through the campgrounds.  In the end, no matter what you do, you never can be 100 percent certain when dealing with nature, but you are diligent and do all that you can and put everything that you can in place to minimize all risks.”

 Are there any big changes the speedway is planning before the 2013 races?

 “We are upgrading our center grandstands restrooms and building a new restroom in the infield.  We are also improving our on-site technology so fans can better access social media no matter their cell phone carrier and we will begin installing Wi-Fi hot spots around the facility.  We will also be making improvements to our New Holland Fan Plaza and Kids Zone.”

 What does the track president do on race weekend?  

 “I do have some ‘official’ duties – meeting our great sponsors, government officials, etc. - but I am a race fan.  Before I became President, I came to MIS many times with my wife and our family and friends as fans, so I spend as much time as I possibly can interacting with fans.  Whether I am riding the trams, walking in the New Holland Fan Plaza, meeting guests with pit passes, hanging out in the campgrounds, or even sitting in the stands, I love visiting our fans.  I even pick a fan to give out a special Fan Trophy to the winner of our Cup races.”

 What do you expect of the upcoming race?

“I love this wild card deal that NASCAR put in place last year.  It is really added a lot of excitement and tension to the these last few races and the Pure Michigan 400 is going to be very critical for a lot of very good drivers who need to win to get in the Chase, so I expect a lot of action, very fast, and very fun as always!”

 What do you most look forward to this race weekend?

 “Visiting with the fans and thanking them for choosing to come to our beautiful track.  It is amazing how many fans we have had the past few years, even with the tough economy.  It shows that we have the best fans here in Michigan, the upper Midwest and Canada and I want to personally let them know that!”

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Top 25 Pre-Season College Football Preview: Numbers 20-16

By: David Folz

 

Continuing the countdown on Top 25 football, here are numbers 20-16 and don’t be surprised if one or more of these teams wind up in the BCS at year’s end.

20. Texas- The Longhorns have been bad the last two years by Texas standards.  They have been 13-12 under Mack Brown and that has raised eyebrows and questions on whether they can get it done anymore.  It has not helped at all that the Quarterback play was terrible the last two years, and it led to a shift in strategy last year to their strong group of Running Backs.  Texas will have to rely on their backs again to lead a top rushing group and hope that either Case McCoy or David Ash show some form of progress throwing the football.  The defense in the Big 12 should be one that is very good, as they return many skill players and have to focus on improving the tackle spot.  Texas will be back in contention this fall as long as QB play gets better.

19. Utah- The Utes’s first season in the Pac-12 resulted in an 8-5 record and the thought that they can compete this year.  The running game was solid last year and this year should be the same way.  The problem for Utah is like Texas and Florida, Quarterback play.  The fact that Jordan Wynn last year struggled mightily then getting injured could make or break the Utes again this year.  The defense returns 7 starters and should be really stout.  However, like many teams wanting to take the next step like Utah, Quarterback play is the key component, and could be the difference between 7 wins or a shot at the Pac-12 Title game.

18. TCU- The Horned Frogs go from the Mountain West to the Big 12 for this year, thus guaranteeing a spot in a BCS if they get that far.  Gary Patterson’s teams in the past were playing to see if they win a spot in the BCS, now it’s a shot at a national title.  A Rose Bowl win two years ago and a great group of recruits have helped TCU to national prominence, but this year on defense could be a struggle if their unit doesn’t gel early and often.  On offense it should not be a problem with Casey Pachall back at Quarterback and a deep cast of Running Backs and Wide Receiver.  It may rest on how quickly Patterson gets this defense to gel together, because the Big 12 offenses are not going to be forgiving.

17. West Virginia- Like TCU, West Virginia is a new member to the Big 12, coming from the Big East.  Dana Holgerson is not unfamiliar with teams here, however, having been the Offensive Coordinator at Oklahoma State prior to his job in Morgantown.  The Mountaineers are led by the typical Holgerson offense, full of speed at the skill positions and will put points on the board with ease.  The defense switches to a 3-4 from the 3-3-5 under new Defensive Coordinator Jeff Casteel.  The unit last year was 61^st nationally, which was towards the top in the Big East, but will be cause for alarm in the Big 12.  In the end for West Virginia, the 8 returning starters on defense will have to adjust to the new system and Casteel will need to get his system implemented with success early.

16. Stanford- The first year without Andrew Luck will bring a new identity for the Cardinal.  Also gone are two first-round linemen, their top three receivers and three of the starting four in the secondary.  In the midst however is quite possibly one of the greatest offensive line recruitments in history, with two five-stars and a four-star as part of the seven linemen to sign.  On offense a lot will go through Senior RB Stepfan Taylor, who comes off back-to-back thousand yard seasons.  The defensive front seven is very talented, but it will rely on the secondary and if they stop the opposing receivers, then it will be a top defense yet again.  The offense will be the spotlight as the new Quarterback, likely Brett Nottingham will find his receivers thin unless Ty Montgomery is the star the Cardinal think he will be.  It will be a year of transition for the Cardinal this year.

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Why the Washington Nationals Handled Stephen Strasburg Wrong

By: Dan Hauser

By now we all know about Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg’s inning pitch count. It’s talked about on every sports channel, mentioned during every Nationals highlight, and discussed during every one of his starts. Whether the organization lets him go 160 or 180 innings one thing is for certain. The Washington Nationals are shutting down their star-studded ace before the end of the season while they are all but a lock to make their first postseason in franchise history. The question now is could this all have been avoided with better planning.

The Nationals knew from the day spring training started that he was going to have this inning count. It was originally set at 160 innings. Yet the franchise had no contingency plan set up for if this team, which was built to make a playoff run this year, actually made the playoffs. Fast forward five months to August and here we have the Nationals currently holding the best record in baseball and anywhere from 30 to 50 innings away from shutting down their staff ace.

It seems like there was once simple solution to all of this that could have stopped this all from happening. The Nationals could have simply spread out his starts a little more and extended the life of his season. Instead of pitching him once every five days, they could have pitched him once every six or even seven days. The Atlanta Braves have gone to a six-man rotation so why couldn’t Washington do the same?

Another option the Nationals could have done was shut him down now and save the innings he has left for when they need him in the playoffs. However, the team seems to be content on throwing him out there once every five days, shutting him down at 160 or 180, and then explaining to fans when the playoffs roll around why their all star phenom is on the bench instead of on the hill.

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College Football Is Almost Back: Breaking Down The ACC

By: Al Burke

Spotlight on the ACC

Who will be the key offensive players in the race for the ACC title in 2012? Some will be established stars, some replacing former stars and a smattering of new faces who hope to be the stars of tomorrow (or this season anyway). Opinions, objections and abuse (maybe not that one) are always welcome. Feel free to leave comments below or contact me on Twitter.

Atlantic Division

Boston College

QB Chase Rettig - Star RB Montel Harris may be gone prematurely, but the trio of returning backs suggest BC should be able to run the ball effectively. That won’t be enough though; Rettig doesn’t have to be amazing (although it would be nice), but he has to show he can be consistent at least. A receiver who could stretch the field would be nice, but Rettig has enough in place to move the chains and let the running attack and defense do the rest.

2011 Stats: Passing 317-170-1960-12-9, Rushing 41-(-84)-1.

Clemson

RB Andre Ellington   - What about Tajh Boyd? Or Sammy Watkins? Well, they were definitely impact players on the Tigers resurgent ACC title winning squad, when Ellington got injured later in the season, the Tigers struggled. He was out for the Georgia Tech game, and hampered against NC State and South Carolina. While he was healthy for West Virginia, poor defense took him out of the game early, although he performed well when given the chance. Keeping him healthy next season should be priority #1.

2011 Stats: Rushing 223-1178-11, Receiving 22-109-0, KR 5-131-0.

Florida State

LT Cameron Erving – or Daniel Glauser; or pretty much any OL. Somebody throw a block please. Last season the line was dreadful, allowing QB EJ Manuel to get battered (41 sacks) and paving the way for a meager 3.3 yards per carry. For a team considered a dark horse for the national title, this kind of production will not cut the mustard. Can you imagine this bunch against LSU’s DL? No matter how good the defense is, it can’t cover for a unit this bad.

2011 Stats – 13 games at DT

Maryland

QB CJ Brown – I debated over whether an RB would be more appropriate here, but the Terps look solid with Justus Pickett and freshman Wes Brown, so the play of CJ is the key. He’s a dual-threat who showed enough in 5 starts to suggest that the future could be rosy for Maryland. He’s an excellent runner, but needs to be way more accurate as a passer. Getting all the passing reps in spring camp helped, but he’ll get a push from freshman Caleb Rowe in fall.

2011 Stats: Passing: 166-82-842-7-6, Rushing 79-574-5.

North Carolina State

QB Mike Glennon – the forgotten man in the Russell Wilson saga, Glennon showed great resilience (and talent) throughout the season, despite patchy protection from a O-Line that allowed 34 sacks. It wasn’t all their fault, as Glennon is far from fleet-of-foot. This season, many of last year’s key performers return, including 4 OLs. HC Tom O’Brien will not allow them to be this poor again. Glennon could be all-ACC this year, and will get a long look from NFL scouts.

2011 Stats: Passing 453-283-3054-31-12, Rushing 51-(-110)-1.

Wake Forest

WR Terence Davis – QB Tanner Price had a breakout year last season, but it was in part attributable to WR Chris Givens’ (85-1330-9) success. Price is back and he has #2 receiver Michael Campanaro, more of a slot guy, but he needs someone who can stretch the field and clear the middle of the field for Campanaro now that Givens is gone. Davis showed some play-making ability, but in true Cris Carter fashion, “only caught TD passes”. This season he needs to show he can carry a full-time load or the WF offense will struggle to move the ball consistently.

2011 Stats: Receiving 20-269-5, Passing 1-1-9-0-0

Coastal Division

Duke

QB Sean Renfree – HC David Cutcliffe has had success with QBs in the past – a couple of guys by the name of Manning – and his current protégé has all-ACC potential. Despite a rocky start to his career on replacing Thaddeus Lewis, he’s improved every season and could be ready to take a big jump in his senior year. He has his favorite receiver back, and the Blue Devils look the strongest they have in a number of years.

2011 Stats: Passing 434-282-2891-14-11, Rushing 58-(-58)-4.

Georgia Tech

WR Jeff Greene – Sounds kind of strange picking a receiver as a key to this offense, but Stephen Hill was a big-play threat last season, averaging over 30 yards a catch and scoring 5 times, to go with his blocking ability. Greene doesn’t possess Hill’s speed, but he has the size and strength to be a factor as a receiver and a blocker (he could line up at LB or S too). If the Bulldogs can’t get someone to stretch the field, the running attack will find the going that little bit tougher. Greene can’t afford to drop as many as Hill though.

2011 Stats: 12 games played.

Miami

RB Mike James – the QB battle has yet to be decided and the WRs are unproven outside of Allen Hurns, so the Hurricanes will need to ride the rushing attack, at least until the passing offense starts to click. James is a powerful runner who wears down defenders with his punishing style and has seen a chuck of action over the last couple of seasons, including 11 TDs. He has a monstrous line (averaging 317 lbs) paving the way and some good backups to keep him fresh. The U will need him.

2011 Stats: Rushing 72-275-7, Receiving 9-80-1.

North Carolina

WR Jheranie Boyd – Dwight Jones was a big part of the UNC passing attack, playing the role of deep threat and go-to guy. He’s off to the NFL, Boyd gets his chance to show what he can do as a starter after averaging over 20 yards per catch and scoring 12 TDs on just 40 receptions. Having Erik Highsmith to play the possession role should help things tick over. QB Brynn Renner could be poised for a big season.

2011 Stats: Receiving 14-292-5, Rushing 7-56-0.

Virginia

QB Michael Rocco – okay, so he hasn’t won the starting job yet and some (mostly SEC fans) feel Phillips Sims will take the job in fall, but he got a lot better over the course of the season (overlook VTech). After throwing just 1 TD and 7 picks in his first games, Rocco went 12-5 over the last 8 as Virginia went on a 6-2 run to make their first bowl in 4 years. He has the benefit of a solid running game, a good O-Line, and the explosive Tim Smith at receiver among others. He’s set for at least another bowl run, and if he can improve even further, a division title is in the offing for the Cavs.

2011 Stats: Passing 366-222-2671-13-12, Rushing 40-118-2.

Virginia Tech

RB Michael Holmes – VT have been the class of the conference for most of the 21^st century, but 2012 may see them slip back among the back despite the return of QB Logan Thomas. The problem is, only 2 other starters return on offense and star RB David Wilson isn’t one of them. Make no mistake, the O revolved around Wilson and a capable replacement is a must. Redshirt freshman Holmes looks to be the heir apparent to Wilson, and he’s good enough to have an impact from the start. The Hokies need him to.

2011 Stats: Redshirted

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Multi Stars Shows Promising Future

By: Ben Pannell

With L.A.’s addition of Dwight Howard (D12), they are put into a group of teams that are loaded with stars. The Lakers have had a huge offseason, but it won’t be a stroll in the park to make the finals. Besides the Lakers, the Thunder is a young, hungry team that was defeated in the finals last year, and is looking to repeat. Along with these two teams, there are other great teams in last year’s champions, the Heat, the Pacers, the Knicks, and the Bulls. 

                All of these teams showed signs of success last season. Looking at each team, they all have some stars that make up the team. Looking at some of these teams, they show signs of a kind of déjà vu in big teams. In the Bird-Johnson era, there were around four teams that were full of talent, and were always competing. These teams were the Boston Celtics (Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Bill Russell), Los Angeles Lakers (Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy), Detroit Pistons(Isaiah Thomas, Bill Lambier), and Philadelphia 76ers(Julius Erving, Moses Malone).  Through the late -70s and -80s, these teams were in constant battle over who was going to the finals and who was winning it all. The Eastern Conference was thought to be the much tougher, more difficult conference. The Lakers were expected to sail through all of the playoffs until the finals, although that was not always the case. On the other side of the nation, the 76ers, Celtics, and Pistons battled it out to see who would face the Lakers. Each team was eager to show the “Showtime” Lakers what real basketball was like.

                The competition of the Eastern Conference is still shown today. Now, with teams like the Miami Heat (LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh), the rising New York Knicks (Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler), the Chicago Bulls (Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah),  and the Pacers (Roy Hibbert, Paul George, and Danny Granger). All of these teams have the capability of winning the conference. What is the most surprising of all of these is the Pacers, who have no major stars on their team, but played so well together, they earned the three seed in the playoffs last year. One thing that separates them from these other teams is that they didn’t just have a couple stars then players that couldn’t produce; they had a couple pretty good players, who were surround with solid role players that could all play what they were supposed to.

                Although the “Showtime” didn’t have much of a competition in their conference, that doesn’t mean that they were automatically given their spot in the finals. With Magic Johnson on their team, they turned into a run-n-gun offense, which was led by a flashy point guard who was as exciting on the court as he was off the court. With this new style of play, came some arrogance, and some dislike from the other teams. Out of attempts to show the Lakers real basketball, opponents gave them their best shot every night. If the Lakers didn’t come out ready to play, they would be defeated. The run-n-gun offense took a toll on their bodies. After a long season, they were exhausted, where as other teams who ran a more organized offense, were just starting to make a run. The Lakers now are loaded with stars (Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and Kobe Bryant), like the “Showtime” was in their day. Unlike them, though, they will be facing a much tougher challenge. That challenge is the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder is a young team that suffered a heart breaking series, losing to the Miami Heat in the finals. They will be back next year, hungry for not only another trip to the finals, but also for a championship. The Thunder are full of talent (Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Kevin Durant), and are very big under the basketball. They have quick guards, and a good rotation, having James Harden come off the bench to bring a spark of energy.

                This upcoming NBA season will be a great one to watch. With the lockout of last year, fans and players are excited for a full 82 game season, one that will seemingly have no disappointments about it. With this being said, I’m anxious to see how all of the superstars have progressed after the Olympics. One thing that will be curious to see is how all of these players will react to playing against each other. It will be interesting to see if they can all keep their competitive edge with each other after a wonderful experience in London.

You can find more of my work at http://basketballben23.com and follow me @life_of_ball

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College Football Pre-Season Top 25: Numbers 25-21

By: David Folz

As we count down the days to college football the pre-season polls are coming out as we gauge how teams could do this season.  There will be the usual favorites like Alabama, LSU, and USC at the top but then some surprise teams in the middle and back of the Top 25.  I will break down the Top 25 as I feel they will be placed or there around.  It will be in segments of 5 teams, starting with 25-21, 20-16, 15-11, 10-6, 5-1.  Today we focus on the back end of the Top 25.

25. Boise State- The Broncos season will be made in the first month because they face Michigan State, BYU and Southern Miss.  They are the overwhelming favorite in the Mountain West thanks to the departure of TCU and the underwhelming talent in the conference.  They will have a crucial opening month but should threaten 10 wins again.  This is a special year for Boise because they can prove they don’t rebuild their program when top talent leaves, they just reload.

24. Florida- This all comes down to who starts for the Gators this year and the thought is Jacoby Brissett is the guy.  They could go with a 2 QB system but this is not a Chris Leak/Tim Tebow thing.  The defense will have to be stout if the Quarterback play is not there again.  While Florida is not looked at as the favorite in the SEC East, they cannot be overlooked either.  Will Muschamp is looking at year two after a very disappointing first year in Gainesville.  The offense has to improve from 107^th last year. 

23. Nebraska- The reason I put the Cornhuskers down at 23 is a simple one: Taylor Martinez must learn to throw the ball with consistency if he expects and the Huskers expect to win the big games this year.  Last year, especially in the blowout against Wisconsin, that was very relevant that for so much that Martinez can run, he cannot throw well at all.  If the Cornhuskers want to do anything this year, and for Husker nation that means at least a New Years Day bowl game, it rests on Martinez’s progression as a passer.

22. Georgia Tech- The Yellow Jackets are a very tough team because they not only have the wishbone option offense, but there is always a twist in it.  They won’t be known for their passing attack, but that needs to improve from merely 49 percent a year ago.  They are very unproven at Wide Receiver, with no player at the position making a single collegiate reception.  The running game is obviously one of the best and will continue to be.  The defense however needs to get better.  If they improve passing to being adequate, and the defense allows less rushing yards and points, then they could challenge for 10 wins this year.

21. Ohio State- The Urban Meyer era will begin in Columbus, a year after the tattoo sanctions and a roller-coaster year with Luke Fickell at Head Coach.  The first thing that Meyer did was expand the offense for Sophomore Quarterback Braxton Miller who was horrendously inconsistent last year.  The problem is they are ineligible for the post-season this year due to the sanctions from the tattoo incident last year.  The difference will be on the progression on Miller, the defense and if that improves because they looked lost in big games a year ago.  The drive may be there this year to get back to winning, even with the sanctions.  It will however remain to be seen how much drive the Buckeyes have knowing they are not playing for a conference championship or bowl game this year.

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Grading the Dwight Howard to Los Angeles Trade

By: Trisity Miller

It feels as if the NBA has awakened from a yearlong “Dwightmare”. Orlando finally pulled the plug sending the best big man in the league to the Los Angeles Lakers. The interesting part of the deal is the other two teams who stepped up to get this deal done: Denver and Philadelphia. The trade consisted of a few great moves, some good moves and a questionable deal.

Los Angeles: Whoever said the rich get richer and the poor get poorer must’ve been a Lakers fan (or a Republican). Once again, the Lakers have jumped from a 2^nd round team to a legit championship contender a la in 2008 after the addition of Gasol. Speaking of Gasol, they managed get Dwight in a 4-team withOUT giving up Pau. I don’t know how Buss continues to do it, but he does it. The Lakers have gone from Mikan to Wilt to Kareem to Shaq to Bynum and now have Dwight Howard. After getting bounced in the second round in the past two years, LA is now the best team in the league. With Meeks, Hill, Duhon/Blake, and Jamison coming off the pine, this team can be very scary. This may be the year we finally get Kobe v. Lebron, because with this team around the Mamba, anything less than a championship is a bust.

Grade: A

Denver: This one is easy. Without giving up much (Afflalo/Harrington), you’ve upgraded your shooting guard position massively. In comes Andre Iguodala, one of the most underrated stars in the NBA, to replace Arron Afflalo. He isn’t “build your team around him” good, but with the way the Denver Nuggets have been constructed for the past two years, he is the perfect player to come in and add to an already good team. Their starting lineup will likely be Lawson-Iggy-Gallo-Faried-McGee. The only minus you can get out of this is that Iggy is owed $30 million over the next 2 years. This doesn’t make Denver a contender, but they can easily be seen as the fourth or fifth best team in the Western Conference outside of the 3 powerhouses and gives them a legit chance of upsetting a higher seed this year in the playoffs.

Grade: B+

Orlando: This trade reminds me of someone who’s been hassling you for so long for something that after a while, you just give into to whatever demands they offer you. The Orlando virtually traded Dwight Howard for…a core of Aaron Afflalo, Nikola Vucevic and rookie Moe Harkless. Suddenly that Brooklyn offer of Brook Lopez and Marshon Brooks looks of some quality. That Toronto pick they could’ve gotten from Orlando looks better than this also. For a team that clamored that they wanted to take their time on figuring out which trade to pursue, they’ve come out as the weakest of the four teams. Of the four all-stars traded in the deal, Orlando came away with none of them. I’ll give Hennigan and co. slack because when Gasol was traded it looked similar to this though it turned out pretty good for Memphis, but until then Orlando dropped the ball on this one.

Grade: D

Philadelphia: This team has been “trying” to trade Iguodala for the last 3 years, but never pulled the trigger because of what they were going to get in return. Now, they’ve the center in the NBA with the highest upside for the next 6-7 years in Andrew Bynum. Bynum will join a young core of Evan Turner (23), Jrue Holiday (22) and Thaddeus Young (24). Adding Bynum guarantees the playoffs as long as he’s there, but that may be the only problem in this situation seeing that he will be an unrestricted at the end of the 2013 season. This trade will also allow Philly to be active at the trade deadline due to the logjam at the center position (Allen, Brown, Hawes). Doug Collins will have a handful of work keeping motivate Bynum to play at his best every night for Philly, but the future for this team can be bright if handled properly.

Grade: B

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MLB Power Rankings : Did Your Team Move Up or Down?

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Washington Nationals +3	4
	Since Ian Desmond went on the disabled list, the Nationals are 18-5. Desmond was the Nationals leader in WAR at the time of his injury.
	2	Texas Rangers +1	3
	Ryan Dempster's second start for his new team was much better than his first. He went 6 and 2/3 inning while giving up 0 earned runs in a 6-3 victory of the Red Sox last Tuesday. He is scheduled to make his third Texas start on Monday against the Yankees.
	3	Cincinatti Reds -1	2
	Billy Hamilton update: Hamilton now has 139 steals, just 6 shy of Vince Coleman's minor league record, despite having 20 games left in the season.
	4	New York Yankees -3	1
	On Friday, Ichiro tied a career high, by driving in 5 runs in a 10-4 Yankee win. The last time Ichiro had 5 RBI's in a game was in 2004. Friday's game also marked the 2nd multi-hit game for Ichiro since joining the Yankees.
	5	Atlanta Braves +1	6
	Aside from his start against the Mets on Sunday, Ben Sheets has been masterful for the Braves. He is currently 4-1 with a 2.13 ERA in 6 starts.
	6	Chicago White Sox -1	5
	Jake Peavy has easily been one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball this year. He is pitching to the tune of a 3.08 ERA, to go along with a 9-8 record, 4.3 WAR, and a K/BB rate over 4.
	7	St. Louis Cardinals +3	10
	The Cardinals lost to the Phillies Sunday, to drop them to 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.
	8	Pittsburgh Pirates	8
	The Pirates halted an 11 game home losing skid to the Padres on Sunday, by crushing them 11-5.
	9	Tampa Bay Rays +5	14
	Tampa Bay is arguably the hottest team in baseball right now, as they have won 8 of their last 10 and have taken over the top spot in the AL Wild Card race.
	10	San Francisco Giants -1	9
	The Giants lead baseball with 77 runs scored so far in August.
	11	Oakland Athletics	11
	The A's loss to the White Sox Sunday marked just their 2nd series defeat since the end of June.
	12	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim -5	7
	Jered Weaver snapped his 9 game winning streak yesterday, as the Angels fell to the Mariner 4-1. They have now lost 3 consecutive series to the White Sox, A's, and Mariners.
	13	Detroit Tigers -1	12
	The Tigers were unable to win their series against Texas, but they are still only 2 games behind the White Sox in the AL Central.
	14	Los Angeles Dodgers -1	13
	Since Joining the Dodgers, Hanley Ramirez has hit .274/.357/.387.
	15	Baltimore Orioles +1	16
	In just 4 games with the Orioles, top prospect Manny Machado is 6 for 16 with 3 home runs and 7 RBI's. He could be a huge help to the Orioles down the stretch as they try to make the postseason for the first time since 1997.
	16	Arizona Diamondbacks -1	15
	Despite being just 1 game over .500, the D-backs are just 5 games out of first place in the NL West.
	17	Boston Red Sox	17
	The Red Sox have been struggling of late, but a 14-1 Sunday beat down of the Indians could be the start of a Red Sox run. Jon Lester picked up his first win since June 27th by striking out 12 over just 6 innings.
	18	Toronto Blue Jays	18
	The Blue Jays have used the most players in the majors this year at 51, largely due to a plethora of injuries.
	19	New York Mets	19
	Since his no-hitter, Johan Santana has made 9 starts, pitched 44 innings, and has an ERA of 6.54.
	20	Milwaukee Brewers +2	22
	On Sunday, the Brewers snapped an 11 game road losing streak thanks to a strong start from Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo is 10-0 in his last 10 starts against the struggling Astros.
	21	Seattle Mariners -1	20
	The Mariners were able to subdue the Angels offense on Sunday, winning 4-1 to take the series.
	22	Cleveland Indians +1	23
	Zach McAllister has been solid for the big league club in 13 starts in 2012. He has a 3.46 ERA, a 112 ERA+, and a strong K/9 rate of 8.
	23	San Diego Padres +3	27
	San Diego's 7-3 run has propelled them to a 3 spot jump in this weeks power rankings.
	24	Philadelphia Phillies -3	21
	Juan Pierre, who started for the 2nd time in August, hit a walk off single last night to beat the Cardinals in 11 innings.
	25	Miami Marlins	25
	The Marlins currently have a 5 game winning streak against the Phillies. The last time they had a 5 game winning streak against the Phillies was in 2004.
	26	Minnesota Twins -2	24
	Trevor Plouffe will likely return to the Twins on Monday. Plouffe has been on the DL since July 21st with a bruised right thumb.
	27	Kansas City Royals -1	26
	Jeremy Guthrie has been great in his last 2 starts for the Royals. In 14 innings, he has given up just 3 runs while striking out 10.
	28	Chicago Cubs	28
	The Cubs have lost 11 of their past 12, and are beginning to threaten the Rockies for the 2nd worst record in all of baseball.
	29	Colorado Rockies	29
	Franchise star, Todd Helton, went down with a season ending hip injury earlier this week. He plans to return in 2013 for what could perhaps be his final season.
	30	Houston Astros	30
	This weekend, the 'Stros took 2 of 3 from the Brewers to win their first series in weeks. Jordan Lyles stepped up and delivered 7 strong innings, allowing 2 earned runs, with 5 K's and 0 walks.

Biggest Jump: Tampa Bay Rays +5

Biggest Drop: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim -5

You can follow Justin Millar on twitter at @justinmillar1, or email him atJustinmillar1@gmail.com. Comment below to join the discussion.

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